Google Fire Map. It looks like Clod's surrounded.

Another fire yesterday at an apartment complex in the center of north Austin, on the highway between our house and Mr. Clod's work. It got put out quickly, but Mr. Clod had to take a different route home due to onlooker traffic, plus it knocked out power to the therapy clinic so I had to come pick up Minifobette and the other carpool kids early. This time they said they were investigating a "person of interest," not sure whether that means this one was deliberate, or just that somebody saw the smoker who doesn't understand what "outdoor burn ban" means.

When I was driving out to get the kids, there was a big blackened patch on the grass about 1/2 mile from my house. Only about 20 feet in diameter, and obviously put out fast enough that the local news wasn't even alerted, but still, it wasn't a comforting sight. My friend told me that the Leander fire came within 4 houses of theirs.

Sorry to hear about your friends, Nirvana. :( A big animal shelter in Bastrop was evacuated, and there's not enough room for them so local radios have been pushing to get them adopted right away, no fees or anything, just come and pick up any animal you want...

First day of classes here.... and everybody is going home early from the flooding. We need a pipeline to Texas.

Yeah, I really wish I could divert this weather to Austin. I'm not complaining about the rain, but we really don't need it.

And I just got an alert that I-395 is flooded and closed. I can picture the underpass where I bet it's flooded. Glad I don't drive, the evening driving commute is going to suck.

Just got an email from Pete's cousin, the Bastrop fire came within .2 of a mile of their house. His daughter had ash in her hair when they hit the road. Scarey stuff.

Jesus, that's a close call.

Keep checking with them on the status of their house, Griff. It's still only 30% contained.

Will do. The dichotomy between NY/PA and Texas weather is just nuts. Rain is just pouring down here, roads are washing out, schools are closing, dummies are losing pickups to the flood waters and you guys are just parched down there.

A link from my cousin, who also lives in Austin

Well, we're prayin' for ya.

I'm glad you're ok Clod. I'll be hoping it stays that way for you and your family and friends. xx

Another from my cousin:
The Texas State Bar has activated its toll-free disaster legal hotline at (800)504-7030 to assist the public with basic legal questions such as replacing lost documents, insurance, landlord-tenant issues, and consumer protection. Other key disaster relief resources can be found on the State Bar website: www.texasbar.com

I'm in Houston (how would you know?), actually Kingwood which is up on the NE side of the city in very heavy forested area. It is really getting scary here, dead trees everywhere and super dry brush. I have lived in S. California and know what dry is, especially in the fall when the Santa Ana winds pick up but it's hard to imagine protection your home when you have 100ft tall trees all around you.

My wife and I have started compiling a game plan of what to grab if we have to leave in a hurry. We have a fire proof safe but these fires have been burning so hot I wouldn't trust it and will clean it out.

Cameras and lenses of course! ;)
Jewelery, some small family mementos that are easy to pack
Computer towers and hard drives
Important papers, wills, deeds and titles, etc.
the dog
Granola bars and bottled water
Cans of spam.
Tobasco sauce.

etc...:right:

Went out with a group of volunteers today, cleaning up burned homesites. The house we were assigned to was still standing and livable, but all of the vinyl siding had melted into slag, and a dozen blackened trees needed to be cut down (or had conveniently fallen down for us already) and cleared off the property. I was impressed with how organized things were at the tiny church that was serving as the operations base for volunteers. They had pre-printed maps of each area, and lists of what stage of repairs each house was in, so if you came with a chainsaw you'd be sent to a house that still needed trees removed, etc.

Got a lot of work done, talked to some good people, and got extremely filthy with soot. But even knowing how dirty we all were, I was still pretty startled when I blew that first black booger into the kleenex...